Rescued dogs airlifted out of Midway

November 27, 2009

Pet Airways employee Tracy Mandera looks to place one of the small dogs being airlifted from Midway Airport into a cage before loading them onto a fligh for New York. (Alex Garcia/Chicago Tribune) | MORE PHOTOS

About 50 rescued dogs -- ranging from a 2-year-old brindle French bulldog so afraid of people that it refused to be touched to a playful Shih Tzu-- boarded a special flight today from Midway Airport to New York, where their chances for adoption might be higher.

The animals were saved from puppy mills and shelters in the Midwest, and most likely would have been euthanized, said Kelli Ohrtman, from the Best Friends Animal Society, based in Utah.

The flight on Pet Airways was part of the "Pup My Ride" campaign, which transports dogs and cats from parts of the country that are over-saturated with unwanted pets to regions with fewer animal control problems, where the demand for pet adoptions is typically higher.

"The Midwest has an over-abundance of dogs," because of a thriving puppy mill industry, Ohrtman said, whereas the Northeast has less of a problem.

Her group has moved about 2,600 dogs across the country in the last two years, often from the Midwest and California.

Among those saved this week was a 2-year-old, brindle French bulldog who rescuers say was scared of people and refused to be touched; Ohrtman surmised the dog had been abused. On the other end of the personality spectrum was a little Shi Tzu who, out for a walk before the flight, grabbed her leash in her mouth and playfully shook it.

The canine passengers included a variety of breeds, though most were smaller dogs. All had to be checked by a veterinarian to ensure they were healthy enough to fly.

Ohrtman said the rescued animals are usually transported by truck, but in this case the free flight will save time and gas money. They arrived in Chicago by bus Thanksgiving Day and were given a rest break and special holiday meals before heading to Long Island.

Pet Airways founder and CEO Dan Wiesel said he donated the trip as a Thanksgiving present for the dogs.

The dogs, which range in from about four months to three years old, are being taken to the North Shore Animal League America in Port Washington, N.Y., where they will be put up for adoption.

Florida-based Pet Airways launched in July and carries animals in the main cabin area; the only humans on board are flight attendants and crew. The company flies to Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area and New York, and it plans to expand service to Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Omaha, Tampa and Atlanta.

Ohrtman encouraged anyone searching for a pet this holiday season to get one from a shelter. She said it is possible to find all types of dogs, including purebred and designer breeds, at shelters.

"If everybody would go to the shelter to adopt a pet, the puppy mills would be out of business," she said.